Commode hinge

ABSTRACT

A hinge for a commode or the like comprising a plurality of flanges for mounting a commode lid and seat to a commode bowl. Longitudinal grooves are formed in the hinge for providing hinge axes for said lid and seat for pivotal movement of these members relative to the commode bowl.

United States Patent [1 1 Shepherd [451 Aug. 28, 1913 COMMODE HINGE [76] Inventor: Charles E. Shepherd, PO. Box 9445,

Houston, Tex. 77011 [22] Filed: Aug. 31, 1971 211 Appl. No.: 176,520

[52] U.S. Cl. 16/150, 4/236, 16/128 [51] Int. Cl E05d 7/00 [58] Field of Search 4/236, 240', 16/150,

[5 6] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,447,169 6/1969 Watson 16/150 10/1966 Carlson 1/236 Everburg 16/180 Primary Examiner-James T. McCall Assistant Examiner-Doris L. Ttoutman Att0rney0berlin, Maky, Donnelly & Renner V 5 7] ABSTRACT A hinge for a commode or the like comprising a plurality of flanges for mounting a commode lid and seat to a commode bowl. Longitudinal grooves are formed in the hinge for providing hinge axes for said lid and seat for pivotal movement of these members relative to the commode bowl.

Patented Aug. 28, 1973 2 Sheets-Sheet l IXVENTOR. bar/6L: f. Jfie ofierd Patented Aug. 28, 1973 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR CHARLES E.SHEPHERD COMMODE HINGE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates as indicated to a commode hingeand more particularly to a commode hinge of unitary construction for hinging both the commode seat and lid to the commode bowl.

It has in the past been customary to provide separate hinges for hinging the commode seat and lid to the commode bowl. Independent hinging of these parts is of course desirable to permit relative movement of one or both of these parts relative to each other and relative to the commode bowl. Due to the customary separate hinging of these parts, two separate hinging assemblies are required, thereby resulting in significant hardware costs as well as the installation costs required to assemble the lid and seat in hinged relation to the commode bowl. In a typical present arrangement, as many as ten separate parts are required to hingedly mount the lid and seat, with the installation time required to effect such hinged mounting even further increasing installation costs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION With the above in mind, the primary object of the present invention is to provide a one piece commode hinge for hinging both the commode seat and lid to the commode bowl. In accordance with the invention, both the lid and seat are mounted on the hinge, with the hinge, in turn, being mounted on the commode how] by a pair of mounting bolts.

It is a corollary object of the present invention to provide a commode hinge which is inexpensive to manufacture and by which the seat and lid can be quickly and easily hingedly mounted on the commode bowl. In accordance with the invention, the hinge is preferably constructed of olefinpolymers and copolymers, for example, polyethylene polypropylene. The hinging is effected through the provision of areas of reduced cross section in the hinge thereby facilitating pivotal movement of the lid and/or seat about axes through such reduced cross sectional areas.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds, in reference to the application drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the hinge constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the hinge;

FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view of the hinge;

FIG. 4 is partially fragmentary, side elevational view of the hinge, with the commode lid and seat being shown mounted on the hinge;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary, side elevational view similar to FIG. 4 showing the commode lid in a raised position, and

FIG. 6 is a partially fragmentary, side elevational view similar to FIGS. 4 and 5, showing both the commode lid and seat in raised position.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the application drawings, wherein like parts are indicated by like reference numerals, the hinge comprising the present invention is generally indicated at 10 and comprises a longitudinally extending main body section 12 which includes an upwardly directed intermediate portion 14 from which lid mounting flanges l6 and 18 extend. Each flange l6 and 18 is formed with a pair of openings commonly designated at 20 for receiving mounting screws 22 for mounting the lid to the hinge.

Formed integrally with the flanges l6 and 18 are bumper members commonly designated at 26. Bumpers 26 function to space the lid L from the commode seat S when both members are lowered as seen in FIG. 4.

A pair of seat mounting flanges 30 and 32 extend from the main body portion 12 of the hinge in the same direction as the flanges l6 and 18, with flanges 30 and 32 similarly being provided with openings 34 for receiving mounting screws 36 for screwing the seat S to the hinge. A pair of bumpers 38 are integrally formed with the seat S and function to support the seat S on the rim 40 of the commode bowl when the seat S is in a lowered position.

Extending in the opposite direction from the main body section 12 of the hinge are flanges 44 and 46, each of which is formed with an opening 48 for receiving a threaded mounting bolt 50 which is received in threaded engagement with openings provided therefore in the rim portion 40 of the commode bowl thereby rigidly clamping the flanges 44 and 46, and thus the hinge 10, to the bowl.

The main body section is formed in the upper portion 14 thereof with a longitudinally extending groove 54 and in the lower region thereof with a second longitudinally extending groove 56. The cross sectional area through the hinge at these cut out sections is thereby substantially reduced thereby locating the hinge axes for the lid L and seat S at the location of the grooves 54 and 56, respectively.

The hinge 10 in its preferred form is formed from oleflnpolymers and copolymers thereof, the preferred materials being polyethylene, polypropylene, or copolymers of polyethylene or polypropylene. The preferred materials are advantageously characterized by being relatively inexpensive and capable of relatively long life. This latter characteristic is particularly important in the present invention in view of the flexure of the material immediately adjacent the groove formations 54 and 56. The depth of the groove formations is controlled so that the flexure of the hinge sections is substantially entirely confined to the reduced cross sections adjoining the groove formations, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, with the preferred materials effectively absorbing the stresses created in the hinge material during the hinging movement without significant deterioration of the material, even over long periods of use of the hinge.

To lift the lid L from its lower, FIG. 4 position, the lid is pivoted upwardly about the axis adjoining the groove 54 to a generally vertical position, as shown in FIG. 5. It will be noted that during such movement, that section of the hinge formally comprising groove 54 is essentially straightened, while the hinge portions above and below the groove 54 assume an angular relationship about this same pivot axis. Movement of the hinge is limited to that region thereof above the groove 54 with the lid L when in such raised position being retained therein due to its overcenter relation relative to the hinge axis.

Referring to FIG. 6, the seat S when raised pivots about the axis adjoining the groove 56. During such lifting movement, the curved portion of the seat adjacent the former groove section 54 engages such section and effectively buckles the hinge outwardly, or downwardly and to the left as viewed in FIG. 5, until that section of the hinge containing the groove 54 assumes the position shown in FIG. 6. As the hinge section containing the groove 54 is displaced in such direction, the lid L is moved outwardly relative to the mounting flanges 44 and 46, or to the left as viewed in FIG. 6, and slightly lowered due to the changed hinge orientation. When in its final raised position, the seat S engages the bumpers 26, and both the lid and seat can be maintained in such generally vertical position by the commode tank.

It will be seen that the groove section 56 likewise disappears as the seat S is raised to its FIG. 6 position, with the hinge in the former region of the groove 56 being essentially straight. However, the memory of the preferred material is such that both the grooves 54 and 56 are readily re-established when the lid L and seat S are dropped to their FIG. 4 position.

It will therefore be seen that in accordance with the present invention a one piece commode hinge-of very simple and thus inexpensive construction has been provided for hinging both the commode lid and seat to the commode bowl. The lid and seat can be quickly mounted on the hinge, with the hinge, in turn, being quickly and easily mounted on the commode bowl, thereby eliminating much of the hard work and attendant installation costs prevalent with present commode hinge assemblies. The preferred material and construction of the hinge facilitates the pivotal movement of both the lid and the seat, with such material. assuring long hinge life without substantial deterioration.

I claim:

1. A resilient, unitary hinge for a commode or the 176 like comprising a main body section, upper flange means extending forwardly from said main body section for mounting a commode lid, intermediate flange means also extending forwardly from said main body section for mounting a commode seat, and lower flange means extending rearwardly from said main body section for mounting said hinge on a commode bowl, said main body section of said hinge being formed with a first longitudinal groove between said intermediate and upper flange means for permitting pivotal movement of said upper flange means relative to said intermediate flange means about an axis adjacent the apex of said first longitudinal groove, said first longitudinal groove extending the entire length of said main body section in the region thereof containing said groove, and a second longitudinal groove between said intermediate and said lower flange means for permitting pivotal movement of the former relative to the latter about an axis adjacent the apex of said second longitudinal groove, said second longitudinal groove extending the entire length of said main body section, whereby the bearing forces on such hinge through said grooves are absorbed to a maximum degree due to the length and spacing of said grooves.

2. The hinge of claim 1 further including bumper means integrally formed on said upper and intermediate flanges for spacing the commode lid from the com mode seat, and the latter from the commode bowl.

3. The hinge of claim 1 further including a commode lid and seat, and means for attaching said lid and seat to said upper and intermediate flanges, respectively.

4. The hinge of claim 1 wherein the hinge material comprises olefinpolymers and copolymers thereof.

5. The hinge of claim 4 wherein the hinge material is selected from the group consisting essentially of polyethylene and polypropylene and copolymers thereof. 

1. A resilient, unitary hinge for a commode or the 176 like comprising a main body section, upper flange means extending forwardly from said main body section for mounting a commode lid, intermediate flange means also extending forwardly from said main body section for mounting a commode seat, and lower flange means extending rearwardly from said main body section for mounting said hinge on a commode bowl, said main body section of said hinge being formed with a first longitudinal groove between said intermediate and upper flange means for permitting pivotal movement of said upper flange means relative to said intermediate flange means about an axis adjacent the apex of said first longitudinal groove, said first longitudinal groove extending the entire length of said main body section in the region thereof containing said groove, and a second longitudinal groove between said intermediate and said lower flange means for permitting pivotal movement of the former relative to the latter about an axis adjacent the apex of said second longitudinal groove, said second longitudinal groove extending the entire length of said main body section, whereby the bearing forces on such hinge through said grooves are absorbed to a maximum degree due to the length and spacing of said grooves.
 2. The hinge of claim 1 further including bumper means integrally formed on said upper and intermediate flanges for spacing the commode lid from the commode seat, and the latter from the commode bowl.
 3. The hinge of claim 1 further including a commode lid and seat, and means for attaching said lid and seat to said upper and intermediate flanges, respectively.
 4. The hinge of claim 1 wherein the hinge material comprises olefinpolymers and copolymers thereof.
 5. The hinge of claim 4 wherein the hinge material is selected from the group consisting essentially of polyethylene and polypropylene and copolymers thereof. 